Although the Department of Medicine is a clinical department within the School of Medicine, it is home to many faculty members who are primarily basic scientists and translational researchers. The Department has a broad research portfolio that is well-supported by multiple resources, including the National Institutes of Health, foundations, and industry. Areas of research focus include cell receptors and signaling, vascular biology, immunology, and cancer pharmacology.

 

Duke provides a collaborative research environment and promotes interactions between investigators in the basic science and clinical departments. The Center for Human Genetics, based in the Department of Medicine, has active research programs in several areas, including cardiovascular diseases and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Many faculty members are also key investigators in research institutes at Duke, including the Institute for Genome Sciences & Policy and the Center for HIV-AIDS Vaccine Immunology (CHAVI).

 

The Duke Translational Medicine Institute, established by a Clinical and Translational Sciences Award (CTSA) from the NIH, is devoted to the development of translational research programs with a particular interest in early drug development and “first in man” trials. Many investigators in the Department of Medicine have ongoing research projects that benefit from programs available through this Institute.